Lamp socket



Jan. 31, 1939. F. c. DE REAMER LAMP SOCKET Filed March 5, 1957Inventor-1 Fran-1K C.DeF?eameT,

by H 4 i Attorney.

Patented Jan. 31, 1939 LAMP sooner l Frank C. De Reamer, Bridgeport,Conn., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication March 3,

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to lamp sockets or holders and especiallyto lamp sockets or holders for long cylindrical lamps having a contactferrule at each end.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved socket or holderfor a lamp of this type whereby the lamp can be connected into twospaced plug receptacles or to other plug contact receiving means adaptedto receive contact prongs at spaced intervals.

The invention is well adapted for connecting a lamp of this type to atype of wall receptacle comprising continuous contact strips arranged toreceive contact prongs at spacednntervals.

For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,attention is directed to the following specification and the claimsappended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is aperspective view showing a strip type wallreceptacle having a long cylindrical lamp connected thereto throughsockets embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective exploded viewshowing the end of the lamp and a lamp socket partially taken apart;Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the parts which go to make up a lampsocket, and Figs. 4 and 5 are views of a modification.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a strip type wall receptacle. Itcomprises a continuous metal strip bent to provide walls forming twochannels 2 and 3 which are lined with insulation 4 and in which arelocated continuous metal contacts 5 and 6 which are formedeach from aflat strip bent double on itself. The open sides of the channels areclosed by a suitable cover plate 1 of insulating material in which thereare provided at spaced -intervalsopenings 8 to receive the contactprongs of a plug receptacle. The pairs of openings 8 are spaced apartlongitudinally a distance to receive contact prongs located at the twoends of the lamp. In Fig. 1, 9 indicates a long cylindrical lamp and Illindicates sockets, one at each end of the lamp, each socket havingprongs to engage with the contact strips 5 and 5.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the socket onpon tact comprises a diskll'ofinsulating material having a recess i2 in one face and a base orbase extension I 3 which is flat on its lower side M so that, it isadapted to engage a flat surface. Located in recess I2 is a metal diskl5 having spring teeth l6 projecting from its periphery, which wedgeagainst the side wall of recess 12 in notches l I to hold the disk inposition in the recess. At its central portion, the disk is pro- I937,Serial No. 128,803 (Cl. 173-328) vided with outwardly projecting springfingers I8 which form a spring head adapted to engage in the recess I!in the metal ferrule 20 at the end of the lamp 9. When the springfingers l8 enter the recess is, they make firm electrical contacttherewith and serve to hold thesocket on the end of thelamp. Base I4 isprovided with a groove 2| which communicates with recess I2 and with agroove 22. Groove 2| is relatively wide at its inner end and tapers downto a narrow'slot 2| at its outer end. Contact disk i5 is provided with aflat integral extension 23 which fits snugly in the wide portion ofgroove 2|. Rivetedto extension 23 is a contact prong 24. Two prongs 24which are alike are provided. Each has a body portion 25, a projectingupright portion 26 and a lug 21. In the case of the one prong, lug 2'!passes through a hole in extension 23 and is firmly riveted to theextension. The body por-' tion 25 of this prong fits edgewise in passage2| extending through the narrow slot 2| of the passage, as shown best inFig. 2, the sides'of slot 2| serving to support the prong in edgewiseposition. In the lower wall of the passage is a recess 28 which servesto accommodate the head on the rear side of extension 23 which isproduced by riveting over the end of lug 21. The other prong fitsedgewise in groove 22, the groove being provided with a recess 29 toaccommodate lug 21. This serves to hold the prong in position in groove22 against longitudinal movements. The prong in groove 22 is withoutelectrical connection, it being a dummy prong, so tospeak, and

serving only as a supporting meansfor the lamp. Base I3 is recessed asis indicated at 30 to receive a cover plate 3| fastened in place bydrive screws 32. When the cover plate is in position,

the two contact prongs are held firmly in place.

In the use of the invention, sockets are placed one on each end of thelamp and since the sockets face in opposite directions, the live contactat one end is at one side of the lamp and the live contact at the otherend is at the other side of the lamp. With the sockets in place on theend of the lamp, the lamp can be connected to two spaced receptaclesproperly connected togather electrically or to a receptacle of thecontinuous contact strip type as shown in the drawing by merelyinserting the prongs into the usual receptacle openings.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a modification wherein the cover plate 33corresponding to cover plate ll of Figs. 2 and 3 is provided with acylindrical extension 34 which fits around the disk 3!correspondingtothediskll ofl'lu2and3and serves to house the same soas.to protect the metal contacts located in the recess of the disk.Otherwise, the construction shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is the same as thatshown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this connection, Fig. 4 illustrates themanner in which the projecting spring fingers l8 the metal contact iengage in the recess I! of the metal ferrule 20 at the end of the lamp,and as to these parts, reference numerals corresponding to thoseused inFigs. 2 and 3 have been applied to the corresponding parts of thestructure shown in Figs. 4 and 5. T

By my invention, I provide a lamp socket for a lamp of this type whichis simple in structure, emcient in use and capable of being manufacturedat low cost. At the same time, it gives a I pleasing appearance whenused with a lamp of this type.

By providing on each socket, in addition to the live prong, a secondprong not electrically connected and which serves as a supporting means.

.a construction results wherein when the lamp is plugged in, it is heldfirmly in place mechani-' cally, the load being divided between the twoprongs at the respective ends of the lamp.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

1. A socket for a lamp having contacts at its" ends comprising a diskhaving arecess in one contact openings of a plug receptacle, one of.

said prongs being connected to said contact memher, the other being notelectrically connected and serving only as a supporting member, and acover plate on the extension for holding the prongs in position.

2. A socket for a lamp having contacts at its ends comprising a diskhaving a recess in one face and an extension having spaced passages, acontact member in said disk recess for connection to the contact at theend-of a lamp, prongs in said spaced passages projecting beyond thecontour of the extension, one of which is connected to said contactmember, the other being not electrically connected and serving only as asupporting member, and a. cover plate on said extension for holding theprongs in position, said cover plate having a cylindrical housing forenclosing said disk.

FRANK C. DE REAMER.

